What exactly is Local Search? March 8, 2009
What is Local Search?
Local Search is a fairly simple concept. Chances are you’ve done it… a lot. Local Search is when people use a search engine (e.g. Google) or another website to find local goods, products, or services.
Let’s suppose I’d like to have Chinese food for dinner. To find a nearby Chinese restaurant, I might search Google for “Chinese food” plus the name of my city and state, “Prospect, CT”. In seconds I’d have a list of Chinese restaurants in my area.
That’s Local Search in a nutshell.
Why Should a Business Use Local Search?
Studies show that most small businesses draw customers within a small geographical area (~50-mile radius); therefore, many small business owners don’t feel the need to advertise online to a worldwide market. They just aren’t interested in attracting website visitors outside of their radius.
Times have changed, though. The days of relying on local TV stations, newspapers, or phonebooks for information on nearby products and services are a thing of the past. Now there’s an easier, better, and SMARTER way for businesses to deliver desired information to their customers.
The goal of Local Search is to get one’s business information online, so that they can increase their visibility via local search engines, directories, and yellow pages. The more ways customers can find you, the better. And who knows? Perhaps a Californian is traveling to Prospect, CT, and she can’t go a day without Chinese food. That’s why it’s smart for small or local businesses to expand beyond their 50-mile radius and take advantage of Local Search online.
What do Local Search Results Show?
As search engine companies invest in Local Search technology, the tools are getting more intelligent and precise. Local Search results often include a business’s name, address, contact information, hours of operation, and even a map to their location. This is invaluable information for potential customers to have at their fingertips.
To perform a Local Search, simply go to any search engine (or to www.localsearch.com), and enter “Who or What” you’re looking for and “Where” in the search fields. Instantly, you’ll have information on a countless number of local businesses.
As you can see, Local Search is a simple yet powerful way for a local business to increase traffic and revenue. For more information on how to optimize your company through online Search Engine Marketing, contact Real Deal Technologies.
